4th Circuit nominee bows out

Richmond lawyer E. Duncan Getchell Jr. has acknowledged the obvious and asked President George W. Bush to withdraw his nomination to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Bush nominated Getchell in September to fill the vacancy created by the death of Judge H. Emory Widener Jr., but he was not among candidates recommended jointly for the seat by the state’s two senators, Republican John Warner and Democrat Jim Webb.

Webb immediately said he would not support Getchell, and it was clear that he would not get a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee because Democrats have a majority in the Senate.

Getchell sent the White House a letter Thursday asking that the President pull his name.

One comment

Getchell probably feels like the fellow Mark Twain told of who had been tarred and feathered and ridden out of town on a rail, “If it weren’t for the honor and glory of the thing, I’d just as soon walk.”